News from Eisenhower Medical Center

Physician of the Month May 2012

Adam Brochert, MD

By: Cancer Registry

Dr. Brochert is a caring and proficient radiologist who volunteers his time and abilities to the Eisenhower Tumor Boards regularly. His skill expounds the norm while viewing images within the human body for not only suspected disease, but also that which is not expected. Recently a 77 year old patient presented to EMC ED after tripping over their carpet and falling on their right side. The patient’s chief complaint was pain in the right hip prompting x-rays of the right knee and hip, as well as a routine portable chest. Dr. Brochert’s keen eye found not only a fractured right femur but also an ever so slight change in the fullness of the right hilum and mediastinum, as well as increasing density in the right lung while comparing a prior study from 2008. Dr. Brochert recommended further studies to exclude adenopathy or mass. His ardent eye picked up the subtle fullness leading to the discovery of a right lung mass measuring 5.5 x 4.6 cm. The mass was biopsied and proven to be small-cell carcinoma—a type of highly malignant cancer most often becoming metastatic prior to becoming symptomatic for the patient. Dr. Brochert not only made a difference in this patient’s life; he always makes a difference for lives stricken with cancer while interpreting their images and collaborating treatment during tumor boards of all specialties. Dr. Brochert’s colleagues and fellow radiologist were astonished and highly impressed by the incidental finding of cancer that would have been more easily skipped than noticed by even the trained eye. Along with their endorsement, the Cancer Registry would like to nominate Dr. Adam James Brochert for Physician of the Month.